The fork in the road
by thebattleangel
Summary: A devil for her future and an angel from her past. When Emiko's mother makes an important choice for her without her consent, her world is thrown into chaos.But when someone from her past returns to Konoha, she remembers his offer he made her. Will she accept it or decline?
1. Chapter 1

**The following characters: Sasuke and Itachi Uchiha, Sakura, Naruto, Kakashi, Kisame and Pein belong to Masashi Kishimoto. The Ichihara clan are all my own original characters. I do not own any part of naruto and am in no way affiliated with it. Now go forth and read **

CHAPTER ONE – Memories and a mothers ideas.

Itachi sat in the hide out quietly, deep in thought as Kisame sat bandaging up his sword again, it had been a long day and as soon as they returned Itachi had been called by Pein to be notified about his next mission in the village of Konoha, to bring him Ichihara Emiko of the Ichihara clan who had in her possession one of the seven great swords and forbidden scrolls. "Emiko." Her name rolled off his lips in a gentle sigh…

She took another strike, groaning deeply as she hissed at the pain. Her cheek was bleeding, her arms where bleeding, her legs had cuts on them that were bleeding too. Angrily she glared up at Sasuke and did the unthinkable. She tackled him off his feet sitting on top of him victoriously, her last kunai to his neck. But all who knew him well enough knew that the Uchiha boy hated losing. When Emiko looked again she was underneath him holding her own kunai to her neck. A few seconds later did she only realize the strong pressure on her wrist. Sasuke's onyx orbs bore into her clear grey ones as she hissed in pain at the dull throb that started in her wrist. Sakura swooned as Naruto declared the victory Sasuke's yet again.

She watched as Sakura tried to keep poor Sasuke's attention and lead her team away from her, sighing softly Emiko stood up and started dusting herself off. She mid afternoon sky was a beautiful crystal blue and the birds chirped above her head merrily as she decided to train since she was alone. Checking one last time to make sure she really was alone, she grinned a beautifully, sadistic grin and walked to the edge of the training ground pulling out a long slender box from under her cloak she always carried on her. Opening the box she pulled out her family's legendary odachi, it was one of the seven legendary swords. It was rather over the top size wise but she had for many ears trained with it even though she knew some forbidden jutsus belonging to her clan.

Ichihara Emiko was the youngest daughter of her clan. Her family alone consisted of her mother Suzumaki, her father Ichirou, her oldest brother Ayamu, her oldest sister Misa, the third born, her brother Kaede, herself and her twin brother Saburo. Her clan was a large and well known one alongside the Uchiha clan so it didn't come as a surprise when her mother had broken the news to her and her sister that one of them was to marry into the Uchiha clan to strengthen the bonds between the two clans. However Emiko had developed a bad feeling when her mother had dropped the news on her and her sister, the main reason as always being, she was the one with the gene that would get them to agree into marrying.

Her sister was a mere chuunin and had resented her somewhat for getting ahead and becoming a jounin under Kakashi Hatake. Emiko was only seventeen, being one of the youngest female Jounin along with her best friend Hanatoru Risa of the sand village. The Ichihara clan moved to Konoha from the peaceful water village and most days Emiko missed the beautiful landscape she had come from. Been twins she and Saburo shared a rare link which enabled them to communicate with each other as they pleased and each one always knew where to find the other much to Emiko's disdain. She could never speak a word of bad about her family or of anyone she knew.

Her oldest sister had trained with Itachi Uchiha before he vanished after the Uchiha clan massacre, but he too had quickly surpassed Misa. She couldn't help but wonder how the elusive brother of Sasuke. Swinging her blade she winced as one of her cuts pulled open as blood started dripping on the ground. She was pushing herself to hard again and her body was resenting her minds will to continue. She continued until her limbs refused to move from fatigue and collapsed as she groaned in pain.

Itachi sat watching the young jounin from the branch of a tree going unnoticed as all shinobi did. His mind wandered to the first time he had seen the young girl following her sister silently. Misa was meant to train but her parents had asked her to watch her little sister as none of her brothers wanted to take her with to watch them train her brother. She had just turned thirteen but looked like a mere ten year old due to her petite size. Even though her sister spoke to her so cruelly what caught him was how she simply smiled up at Misa and nodded seeming to be happy enough just to be in her older sisters presence. Even then he had noticed she was a strange girl, she would look up at him through those big grey eyes and then back down at her feet her cheeks tinting pink, and then she would hide her face before her sister could see her betraying blush.

He had always preferred the younger sister out of the two Ichihara girls, she hardly ever spoke and was extremely helpful and respectful comparing to her older sister. Her older sister only really seemed to care for herself most of the time. He was shocked at how Emiko had blossomed into such a beautiful young woman, but he slightly resented his younger brother for been so rough with her during their training even though she was a brilliant jounin and anbu member.

Emiko sat rubbing her temples as the cool evening air touched her cheek, she knew she would have to return home soon but she loved watching the sunset from her training spot placing her Odachi in its elegant casing she sat up against her favorite oak tree and stared up at the evening sky, her face so serene, completely oblivious of the shinobi above her. A soft sigh escaped her lips as her eyes mirrored the evening sky above her. Realizing she was late she jumped up and sprinted home forgetting her white cloak behind.

Itachi noticed her small cloak lying in the grass. Jumping down from the branch he landed perfectly picking up the cloak. He smiled, it smelt like vanilla and jasmine, just as she always did every single time he saw her. He was snapped from his thoughts when he heard light, unsteady breathing behind him.

Emiko stood in an offensive position ready to strike the Akatsuki member who stood in her training spot. Her blood had stilled in her veins the minute she saw that cloak standing there in the darkness where she had left hers. She watched as the man turned around slowly facing her. Her eyes widened in shock as she realized who stood before her holding her cloak in his hands. She didn't utter a word as he stepped towards her holding her gaze with his own. Itachi had so much he wanted to say to his little Emiko as he walked towards her unmoving form. Taking advantage of the fact he had eye contact with her he activated his sharingan. He smiled watching as she looked around her. She remembered the first time her had used it on her, he had tried to get her attention and didn't have much time before Misa had expected him to train so he took advantage of the situation knowing in real time only a few seconds would have passed where in they'd have spent seventy two hours together in his sharingan. Her face held the same expression of wonder it did the first time.

"Emiko it has been a long time." He spoke softly as he approached her, one step at a time. All she did was stare up at him in silence, a light blush dusting her pale cheeks.

"All this time… I was under the impression that you were killed." A soft voice whispered back. Her grey eyes held all the years of confusion she had bottled up inside as she stood mesmerized by him.

He stroked her cheek gently. "No one can know that I am in Konoha Emi." His voice a low purr, she simply nodded not looking away. As much as she wanted to say to Itachi she didn't know where to start.

He chuckled softly. "It seems neither you nor your sister have married into the clan yet Emi, what is going on?"

"Misa isn't interested so it rests on my shoulders and well Sasuke scares me a little, his always so ruthless when we train." She looked at her feet her face flushing a little more.

Itachi smiled down at her, it was something her rarely did since he had joined he akatsuki. "You're still so cute when you blush Emi, you do know my brother isn't the only Uchiha around." He was now right in front of her and she could feel the heat radiating off his body.

"I wanted to look for you Tachi-san but Misa told me it was all very pointless. So I trained hard and now I'm a jounin." She smiled up at him.

He stroked her hair adoringly but his eyes held a question his lips didn't dare speak and she knew already what he wanted to know.

"I don't hate you or resent you Itachi, I know you never did anything without a reason, no matter how badly they spoke of you my opinion never changed." she said softly.

Under the eerie glow of the beautiful red moon of his world his pulled her into a tight embrace. He had missed her, what he couldn't tell her though was that his leader was after her and that was his true reason for been in konoha, to take her back to the akatsuki. He stared down at her stroking he cheek adoringly, all the time he had spent away from her he had thought about her often. But he knew that the young girl knew him well enough to know there was a reason for him being where he was.

"Why are you here in Konoha Itachi?" she whispered up to him softly. He knew she wanted the truth from him, the look she held in her eyes demanded it.

"I was sent here on a mission Emi, to obtain something for my master." He stroked a strand of hair tucking it behind her ear.

She knew he was leaving out information and she wanted to know no matter what the cost. "What is the objective of your mission Itachi?"

A sigh escaped the man before hers inviting lips as he looked deeply into her eyes as though her were searching the darkest depths of her soul. "My mission is you Emi." His voice cracked. He looked down into hr wide eyes as she simply nodded.

"Just give me some time Tachi-san." She whispered stroking his cheek gently. He couldn't help but nod. Returning them to the real world he kissed the top of her head gently and left her standing in the darkness not realizing he still had her cloak with him. Emiko shrugged her delicate shoulders and made her way home. Upon reaching her large home her brother stood pale in the face staring at her rather bewildered. "Emi what happened for a few seconds I couldn't trace you." Saburo hugged his twin sister tightly. "I'm so glad nothing happened to you Emi it had all of us worried." Her brother dragged her into the house closing the door. "Mama, papa Emi is home safely!" he hollered out for the whole house to hear.

Ayamu walked passed his little sister and ruffled up her hair playfully while she received a stern look from her father who got a whack against the head with a book from her mother who smiled at her relieved. Kaede lay on the couch staring at the ceiling as he always did when Emiko petted his messy black hair gently. Quietly she walked to the kitchen and stood helping her mother to prepare dinner.

"So how did your training go with Sasuke today angel?" her mother asked sweetly. She looked up from the carrots she was cutting to where her mother stood peeling sweet potato.

"It was okay I guess, his just really rough and serious, it's a bit scary that's all, like even though I'm a jounin he knows all my weak spots so its helpless going against him when training." She sighed. Her mother was one of the very few people she really spoke to.

"So has he shown any interest in you yet." Hearing the question she shot her mother a look of disbelief and decided not to answer the question, she knew where her affections where and that was enough for her. "Sasuke's mother seems to agree that you two are perfect for each other even though you're a little older than him he looks older than you. Her husband says he will agree to the marriage if you and Sasuke wed." her mother spoke cheerily smiling at her horrified daughter.

"N_no this can't be mother." She stuttered to shocked to think clearly, when what Itachi had told her came into thought, how the words 'you are my mission.' Played over and over in her mind.

"Of course the biggest shock was how thrilled Sasuke is about you been the chosen one, he couldn't seem to agree more with us." Her mother continued to blab on and on about her day and how she had basically sold off her youngest daughter to marry a boy she feared. When the Uchiha clan had been massacred Itachi had never killed his parents or younger brother which was strange, however he had stabbed his mother in the uterus and slipped a special medicine into his father's green tea thus preventing his parents from been able to conceive anymore children. When Suzumaki turned around she frowned to find her youngest daughter gone.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: while proof reading in chapter one I realized that there is a character in Naruto already called Saburo, just for some clarification if there are any questions due to thinking it was an error, it wasn't I was well aware of there been another Saburo, however Saburo Ichihara is in no way affiliated with the character belonging to masashi kishimoto. Now enough with that, here is chapter Two of the fork in the road.

CHAPTER TWO – THE FALLEN ANGEL AND THE DEMON

Emiko stared at her reflection in her mirror. She knew she looked like the kind of girl that would be expected to marry into the Uchiha clan, she just couldn't wrap her head around what her mother had said to her in the kitchen. Taking a small bag she packed a few of her belongings and left her home for good, she knew that no matter what she felt her mother would disregard her wishes only thinking about the expansion of the two clans. Standing across her the street from home she looked at it for one last time, "I'm so sorry," she whispered as she turned her back on her family.

She found herself walking towards her training spot hoping Itachi would be there. She stood in the bone chilling darkness feeling his presence knowing though he only allowed it so she knew she wasn't alone, even though he didn't immediately show himself. Closing her eyes she sighed deeply.

"I considered your proposition you made Itachi." She said slowly as she looked down at her toes, wiggling them slightly nervous about what she was going to tell the shinobi before her.

"That was quick Emi. I thought you would have taken a few more days to make your decision." His red eyes rested on her small form as he took a step closer to her. "What happened that made you make up your mind so quickly, I know you better than you think I do Emi." His voice was nothing more than a husky whisper.

"A choice was taken from me, my mother promised me to your brother." Her words were bitter as she spat them out like they were acid.

He wrapped his arms around her in a protective manner. "Don't fret my little dove." He cooed softly, "I'm going to take you away from it all. So do you accept my offer or do you decline it." He had now moved slightly so he could look down at her.

"I accept you offer Itachi." She whispered when movement in the trees caught their attention. Protectively Itachi stood in front of Emiko, kunai in his hand ready to kill who he had too.

"I suggest you hand Emiko over to me Itachi." Sasuske's voice rang through the silence, causing Emiko's blood to freeze in her veins. "What are you doing with the likes of him Emiko, come here right now." He demanded angrily ready to strike his brother if he had too.

Itachi took a step forward when a hand on his arm stopped him in his tracks. He turned to look down at the small girl but all she did was take a step forward.

Both the brothers stood in shock as they found themselves deafened. They watched in horror as her lips and hands moved. When Itachi looked up, his brother was frozen inside a large sheet of ice. He glared at Emiko from his prison, he couldn't believe she had used an S-class jutsu on him so quickly. He had never thought she would ever be so strong.

She looked up at Itachi taking his hand, "Let's go, it won't hold him forever its meant to be used to kill the victim inside, if just to trap they can free themselves after some time." Itachi smiled down at her. She turned to look as Sasuke mouthing the words. 'I'm sorry but I just can't help you or your family.' She felt Itachi's grip around her waist tighten as he pulled her closer taking them to the hide out. As long as she lived she would never ever forget the look on Sasuke's face. His eyes filled with hatred and anger, not towards her as it should have been, but towards Itachi who had taken her away from him, her fallen angel had saved her from the demon that she knew would hunt her. It lead to the small fact that she deeply resented her mother for making a promise that would not be kept. Sasuke was cold and rude, he didn't stop or hold back even when he knew he was going too far.

Emiko had come to the fork in the roads of her life sooner than she had ever anticipated. She had made the greatest choice, in a way it had reminded her of the ying and the yang , she could have stayed in the light and been engulfed in Sasuke's inner darkness, yet she chose the darkness where Itachi could show her the light. She knew that the three of them as long as they lived would always be connected. She looked up at the entrance of the hide out when Itachi turned to face her.

Gently he tilted her head so her gaze met his. "Emi, when we go in there I suggest you stay as close to me as possible, there some undesirable criminals you're going to be living with from now on so just be very careful until you have gotten to know them, ones who are harmless should be Deidara, Sasori, my partner Kisame and Tobi. Just be careful of the rest they rather temperamental." He rested his head against hers closing his eyes. "Are you sure this is what you wanted Emi, because when you walk in there by my side I can't take you back."

She glanced up at him and smiled reassuringly. "I want this Itachi." She took his hand squeezing it rather sweetly. Nodding his head in understanding he let out a deep breath and lead her into the dark hide out, knowing that his leader would be thrilled that the mission was a success.


End file.
